The upper house of Polish parliament, the Senate, on Wednesday passed two bills necessary for the country to ratify Sweden and Finland's accession to the North-Atlantic Alliance. The draft legislation had been previously approved by the lower house - the Sejm. Now, the bills will land on president Duda's desk who will sign them into law.
In the vote on the ratification of Finland's accession to NATO, all 98 senators who took part were in favour. In the vote on Sweden's accession, 96 senate members took part and all of them were in favour.
Now, the bills will land on the desk of president Andrzej Duda, who - after signing them into law - will also have to ratify the Protocol to the North-Atlantic Treaty regarding accession of new members to Alliance.
The lower house of Polish parliament - the Sejm - passed both draft laws on July 7. The legislation greenlights the president to ratify the Protocol to the North-Atlantic Treaty signed on July 5 in Brussels.
Sweden and Finland closer to NATO
In reaction to Russian invasion into Ukraine, Sweden and Finland filed official requests in mid-May to join NATO. In early-July, NATO member states ambassadors signed Finland and Sweden's accession protocols. The official ceremony was attended by Finnish and Swedish foreign ministers - Pekki Haavisto and Ann Linde.
Currently, both Sweden and Finland have NATO "invitee" status and can participate in the Allied meetings, but without the right to vote. At the same time, NATO member states are in the process of ratifying the accession protocols.
In order for the new countries could join NATO, currently composed of 30 states, each member of the Alliance must approve the decision.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP